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Voluntary sexual abstinence (from masturbation)


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Welcome to AVEN! :cake: :cake:

Very nice idea to create a forum. I like the message it carries too which seems very welcoming to anyone. Although I do pursue complete celibacy at least partly for spiritual purposes, I would be happy to join your forum if you would have me.

Congratulations on achieving 7 months by the way, that is no small accomplishment I'm sure. You are also the first person I have ever known to use a chastity belt on a regular basis. I have always been curious as to whether the device effects cleanliness at all.

Sure feel free to join and share, invite anyone else you think would be interested or exploring total sexual abstinence as a possible lifestyle choice. As for cleanliness it all depends on the device you buy, mine is not a belt it is a chastity cage. It is surgical grade stainless steel because it is a cage so soapy water can pass though so it is quite hygienic. Unlike a chastity belt it can be worn 24/7 indefinitely.

I think that in this day and age sexual abstinence including abstaining from masturbation should be an acceptable option, when I tell people of my choice they just cannot understand why I would choose such a lifestyle.

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Welcome to AVEN! :cake: :cake:

Very nice idea to create a forum. I like the message it carries too which seems very welcoming to anyone. Although I do pursue complete celibacy at least partly for spiritual purposes, I would be happy to join your forum if you would have me.

From my experience so far it seems that there is a somewhat spiritual connection to total sexual abstinence even though that is not may aim. I am more at peace with myself and the world around me. I am more self aware and aware of my surroundings, able to see more of the big picture but definitely noticing the small things that are often overlooked in today busy and sex hungry society. I definitely feel more Zen so to speak. My best friend who knows about my life choice and supports me fully in it has commented to me and others that I am "in a good head space these days". Total sexual abstinence is the best decision I have made in my life in my opinion.

You are more than welcome to the forum.

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Great, I see it as a definite possibility that there are a number of like-minded individuals out there, and certainly a good few of them may very well be AVEN members. It would be nice to see this support group grow.

Thanks for clearing that up about the chastity device. While I don't think I would personally choose to use one, I have always had a fascination about such devices.

I think it's rather ironic that in an age of such sexual renaissance, there is so little acceptance and understanding of both asexuality and chastity. It's amazing to me how things seem to go from one extreme to the other sometimes.

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Unfortunately chastity often considered a form of sex play these days.

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Another non-masturbatory week and feel great. I would really encourage others to give it a try.

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Maiandra HW

I derive little pleasure from this act besides the usual “feels good to play with your junk”.

Huh. My mind has been blown for the second time tonight. Do most people derive pleasure from masturbation beyond the "feels good to play with you junk" feeling? I had always thought that that was the primary function of masturbation.

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Vampyremage

I derive little pleasure from this act besides the usual “feels good to play with your junk”.

Huh. My mind has been blown for the second time tonight. Do most people derive pleasure from masturbation beyond the "feels good to play with you junk" feeling? I had always thought that that was the primary function of masturbation.

That's an interesting question. Answering only for myself here, but for me its pretty much exclusively the physical pleasure that I enjoy, although there is also a bit in the way of stress relief in there as well.

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I usually manage 2-3 months before I give in & I'm never sure why I do? Anyways, knowing that others are making the effort not to, count me in too.

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Janus the Fox

I do it rarely out of "need", its not uncommon for me to go without for weeks. I do it out of boredom, and self enjoyment if the libido and drive is higher than usual.

Ok... if you're curious how some sexual's manage, head on over to r/noFap at Reddit it can get a little squicky though, but an interesting read on what masturbation abstinence can do to people

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elysiandawn

in judaism it says you shouldn't masturbate if you're religious (lots of jews do it)

in buddhism it says you shouldn't do it (lots of buddhists do it)

it's probably just monks and rabbis that don't lol (i'm not religious nor do i care)

the only reason i said this is because there are lots of people who don't masturbate, this goal can be easily achieved by avoiding porn and nude beaches... why is this hard for you? if you feel the need to masturbate, simply do something else, the urge will eventually go away.

i dunno for me this is simple... if you can't stop maybe you're just horny ;p

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Ace McHeeb

Been about a week-and-a-half for me. I just find other things to occupy my time. I remind myself what a letdown it is. And I press on. It's been working and the urges are getting fewer and farther(further?) between. I'm not doing this for any kind of self control or discipline. I'm doing it because it always winds up being the same thing, yet I. Just. Can't. STOP! So I'm forcing myself to remember how it ends before I begin.

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in judaism it says you shouldn't masturbate if you're religious (lots of jews do it)

in buddhism it says you shouldn't do it (lots of buddhists do it)

it's probably just monks and rabbis that don't lol (i'm not religious nor do i care)

the only reason i said this is because there are lots of people who don't masturbate, this goal can be easily achieved by avoiding porn and nude beaches... why is this hard for you? if you feel the need to masturbate, simply do something else, the urge will eventually go away.

i dunno for me this is simple... if you can't stop maybe you're just horny ;p

Or you have a fundamental misunderstanding of addiction.

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Ace McHeeb

Unfortunately chastity often considered a form of sex play these days.

Yes. Yes it is. Forced chastity at that.

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in judaism it says you shouldn't masturbate if you're religious (lots of jews do it)

in buddhism it says you shouldn't do it (lots of buddhists do it)

it's probably just monks and rabbis that don't lol (i'm not religious nor do i care)

the only reason i said this is because there are lots of people who don't masturbate, this goal can be easily achieved by avoiding porn and nude beaches... why is this hard for you? if you feel the need to masturbate, simply do something else, the urge will eventually go away.

i dunno for me this is simple... if you can't stop maybe you're just horny ;p

Or you have a fundamental misunderstanding of addiction.

And religions. And masturbation.

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Failed.

The first week was a piece of cake, so I though going for two weeks would be easy.

Well, I'm not giving up. I'm trying again for a single week, starting now.

in judaism it says you shouldn't masturbate if you're religious (lots of jews do it)

in buddhism it says you shouldn't do it (lots of buddhists do it)

it's probably just monks and rabbis that don't lol (i'm not religious nor do i care)

the only reason i said this is because there are lots of people who don't masturbate, this goal can be easily achieved by avoiding porn and nude beaches... why is this hard for you? if you feel the need to masturbate, simply do something else, the urge will eventually go away.

i dunno for me this is simple... if you can't stop maybe you're just horny ;p

WTF?

It is not true that religious people (jews budist or whatever) don't masturbate because of their religion. Although it is likely that many lie because they must appear to be following their religion.

Avoiding porn does not help. I haven't watched porn or any erotic graphics or literature for almost two years and it has not helped in the slightest.

And... nude beaches? WTF?

And in your last line you are just being insulting.

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Theophilus

in judaism it says you shouldn't masturbate if you're religious (lots of jews do it)

in buddhism it says you shouldn't do it (lots of buddhists do it)

it's probably just monks and rabbis that don't lol (i'm not religious nor do i care)

the only reason i said this is because there are lots of people who don't masturbate, this goal can be easily achieved by avoiding porn and nude beaches... why is this hard for you? if you feel the need to masturbate, simply do something else, the urge will eventually go away.

i dunno for me this is simple... if you can't stop maybe you're just horny ;p

WTF?

It is not true that religious people (jews budist or whatever) don't masturbate because of their religion. Although it is likely that many lie because they must appear to be following their religion.

Avoiding porn does not help. I haven't watched porn or any erotic graphics or literature for almost two years and it has not helped in the slightest.

And... nude beaches? WTF?

And in your last line you are just being insulting.

Actually, I quit because my faith (Catholicism) forbids it. I've been free from that vice for 7 months now, and I have no desire to ever do it again. I was horribly addicted for many years. Without my faith, I could never have quit.

So you might want to do your homework before you make generalizations.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Failed.

The first week was a piece of cake, so I though going for two weeks would be easy.

Well, I'm not giving up. I'm trying again for a single week, starting now.

in judaism it says you shouldn't masturbate if you're religious (lots of jews do it)

in buddhism it says you shouldn't do it (lots of buddhists do it)

it's probably just monks and rabbis that don't lol (i'm not religious nor do i care)

the only reason i said this is because there are lots of people who don't masturbate, this goal can be easily achieved by avoiding porn and nude beaches... why is this hard for you? if you feel the need to masturbate, simply do something else, the urge will eventually go away.

i dunno for me this is simple... if you can't stop maybe you're just horny ;p

WTF?

It is not true that religious people (jews budist or whatever) don't masturbate because of their religion. Although it is likely that many lie because they must appear to be following their religion.

Avoiding porn does not help. I haven't watched porn or any erotic graphics or literature for almost two years and it has not helped in the slightest.

And... nude beaches? WTF?

And in your last line you are just being insulting.

Feel free to join out abstinence support group, there a a few members there from here and some quite interesting discussions. http://www.network54.com/Index/105868

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going to play the devils advocate here, to a point at least, isn't not masturbating (for males at least) rather unhealthy, I know it significantly increases the risk of prostate cancer if you don't 'clean the tubes' about once every week or so. I don't really enjoy it but I consider it another form of personal maintenance, like brushing ones hair.

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going to play the devils advocate here, to a point at least, isn't not masturbating (for males at least) rather unhealthy, I know it significantly increases the risk of prostate cancer if you don't 'clean the tubes' about once every week or so. I don't really enjoy it but I consider it another form of personal maintenance, like brushing ones hair.

(Re-posted from the Total Sexual Abstinence forum)

Prostate Cancer

Both popular and professional opinions of masturbation have changed drastically in the past century. The days when it was said to cause blindness, hairy hands and stunted growth along with a slew of other maladies are long past. More recently however there has been evidence of another trend of a very different kind; people all over the world are touting masturbation for health benefits. This thread is meant to examine these claims in an objective manner in order that we might better understand the science behind these claims.

I think that one of the most common health benefit claims for men is that masturbation can help prevent prostate cancer.

This all started in July 2003 with a study conducted in Melbourne Australia. This study compared 1079 men having prostate cancer, with 1259 healthy men of the same age. These men, ranging in age from 20 to 50, filled out questionnaires about their sexual habits. The study concluded that the more men ejaculated, the less chance they would develop prostate cancer. The results of this study contradicted those of previous studies, which have suggested that having had many sexual partners, or a high frequency of sexual activity, increases the risk of prostate cancer by up to 40%. The key difference is that these earlier studies defined sexual activity as sexual intercourse, whereas the latest study focused on the number of ejaculations, whether or not intercourse was involved.

The very next year, in June 2004 the largest study on the subject to date was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. This US study followed nearly 30,000 men healthy men over the course eight years, around 1500 of which developed prostate cancer. The results backed up the first study, showing that those men who ejaculated most frequently were significantly less likely to develop prostate cancer. At the start of the study, the men filled in a history of their ejaculation frequency and then filled in further questionnaires every two years.

Some common theories held by the scientific community as to why this correlation might be true:

# Flushing out cancer-causing substances. Frequent ejaculation may help flush out retained chemical carcinogens in the prostate glands.

# Reducing tension. The release of psychological tension that accompanies ejaculation may lower nervous activity associated with stress and slow the growth of potentially cancerous cells in the prostate.

# Promoting rapid turnover of fluids. Frequent ejaculation may help prevent the development of mini-crystals that can block ducts within the prostate gland, reducing cancer risk

In January 2009 England's University of Nottingham looked at whether men with more intense sex drives were at higher risk of prostate cancer. Results were obtained by gathering detailed sexual histories from 840 men. About half the men had prostate cancer by age 60, and about half did not have cancer. The findings were surprising. Sexual intercourse did not affect prostate cancer risk. But frequent masturbation did -- in different ways, at different times of life. Frequent masturbation during men's 20s and 30s showed increased risk of prostate cancer, men in their 50s who masturbated frequently showed decreased risk.

Conclusions:

The jury is still out on whether or not masturbation affects the development of prostate cancer. The only thing we can know for certain from these studies is that far more research will be needed before theory becomes fact. One thing that I noticed in reviewing these studies is that because they focused on sexual habits they may have neglected other possibly influencing factors such as: sedentary lifestyle, diet and substance abuse.

Primary Sources:

http://pornstudies.net/news/Masturbation-Prostate-Cancer.htm

http://www.hidden-cancer-cures.com/Articles2/Prostate-Cancer-Masturbation.htm

http://www.webmd.com/prostate-cancer/news/20090127/masturbation-and-prostate-cancer-risk

Psychological aspect

A popular opinion held by certain mental health circles is that masturbation can relieve depression and lead to a higher sense of self-esteem. There are many biological factors that come into effect when it comes to arousal and orgasm in the brain. Neurotransmitters, and neuro-peptides for example, are heavily involved in the sexual response. Hormone levels are also highly involved in sexual arousal. Lets first take a look at how these what role these chemicals play in sexual activity in general and from there we will break it down to see their overall effects to see just how valid these claims really are.

Pre-orgasm:

The adrenal glands and sex organs produce androgen hormones, which stimulate sexual function in men and may modulate the physiology of vaginal tissue and contribute to female genital sexual arousal. In males, testosterone levels remain generally above the threshold required for sexual interest and activity. Thus increases in testosterone above this threshold are believed to have additional influences on sexual interest or behavior. Interestingly, estrogen (the "female hormone") seems to have little impact on sexual desire on either males or females.

The hypothalamus releases the neurohormone dopamine, which results in sexual arousal. When the body becomes sexually aroused the brain releases the neurotransmitter acetylcholine into the bloodstream in the sex organs. The acetylcholine causes the endothelium in the blood vessels of the genitals to produce an enzyme called nitric oxide synthase that helps to produce the gas nitric oxide. Nitric oxide (NO) plays a critical role in both male and female sexuality. NO stimulates the release and conversion of several other enzymes which produce relaxation of smooth muscles and increased blood flow into the genitals producing an erection in males, and in females stimulating vaginal lubrication and engorgement of clitoris.

Serotonin's role in sexual function is that of constriction of smooth muscles in the genitals, and peripheral nerve function. Epinephrine appears to be involved in maintaining the penis in a flaccid state. This increases the rate and force of the muscle's contractions during sexual activity. Conversely, in women, epinephrine has been shown to increase vaginal pulse amplitude. Norepinephrine is another neurotransmitter that mediates chemical communication the nervous system. Levels of norepinephrine in the brain increase significantly with arousal and sexual activity in men as well as in women.

As sexual activity intensifies, the neurotransmitter GABA is released, increasing dopamine levels and ultimately igniting a euphoric feeling and increasing sensations during orgasm. Endorphins, the same “feel good” chemicals that are produced during exercise are also thought to be released in large quantities during orgasm.

Post-orgasm:

At the end of sexual activity, nitric oxide production decreases, causing the penis to return to its flaccid state and female sex organs to return to normal. The anti-inflammatory hormone prostaglandin E-1 is released to relax tissue and muscle fiber and calm the body after sex. The pituitary gland releases the hormone and neurotransmitter oxytocin to induce a sense of sexual satisfaction after sex or orgasm. The pituitary gland also releases the hormone prolactin to repress the effect of dopamine, thus reducing sexual arousal by decreasing the levels of testosterone. The brain also releases the neurotransmitter serotonin to modulate sexual desire.

Dopamine:

Dopamine is the number-one neurohormone involved in sexual activity.

At ideal levels, dopamine equates with feelings of well-being and healthy decision-making. At high levels however, dopamine is the "I’ve got to have it, whatever the repercussions" neurochemical that lights up the brain's reward center. It renders us single-minded and demanding. Biology employs this powerful means to motivate behaviors vital to survival and passing on genes, such as eating, drinking, taking risks, and, above all, engaging in fertilization behavior. Predictably, high levels of dopamine are associated with addictions, gambling, fetishes, anxiety, and so on.

When dopamine drops after orgasm, it falls below ideal levels, and can change our whole outlook on life. Low dopamine is associated with depression, feeling unable to love, and, again, addictions, as sufferers desperately seek to feel better.

Prolactin:

Prolactin performs many functions, and it also appears to play a prominent role in regulating sex. As dopamine drops after orgasm, prolactin immediately rises in both men and women, acting as a sexual satiation mechanism. Prolactin may influence our mating behavior beyond serving as sexual brakes. Like dopamine, it affects our moods and behavior. Prolactin appears to be a stress hormone, associated with feelings of despair. High prolactin could be contributing to the long-term discouragement that seems to overtake so many intimate relationships.

Oxytocin:

After our brain releases dopamine, we feel attracted to the object of our attention. We are compelled to draw closer to it, to experience it more fully.

Oxytocin is a neurotransmitter that is associated with attachment. When we interface with a person or object, and our brain releases oxytocin, we naturally form an attachment to it. Oxytocin also counteracts the effects of cortisol, the stress hormone.

Incidentally, a surge of blood-level oxytocin often accompanies orgasm, which sometimes causes people to conclude that more orgasms must lead to tighter emotional bonding. Who knows? First, researchers suggest that oxytocin's role during orgasm is solely to bring on the contractions that move semen to various strategic locations, just as oxytocin causes smooth muscle to go into birth and nursing contractions. It is not clear that oxytocin levels surge at orgasm in the limbic system - where bonding occurs.

Second, oxytocin is a less reliable marker of orgasm than the "shutdown" neurochemical prolactin, which means that oxytocin does not always rise at orgasm. In any case, when dopamine drops too low (after a passion bout), so does oxytocin - and lovers lose their desire for closeness. By contrast, when dopamine stays at ideal levels, it helps maintain oxytocin levels as well.

Whether orgasm results in increased oxytocin in the limbic system or not, there are a great number of other, nonsexual behaviors that definitely are associated with increased production. Caring touch, especially stroking, is one method. Another is selfless giving - or nurturing another - as a parent would a child. Close, trusted companionship also seems to promote the production of oxytocin. Neurochemicals and behavior tend to be circular. That is, a change in behavior induces changes in neurochemistry, and vice versa. The more we produce, the more receptive we are to it. Oxytocin receptors do not down-regulate as dopamine receptors do. This means we do not need an ever-increasing level to get the same feeling.

Androgens:

Excessive sexual activity and over-ejaculation lead to overproduction of androgen hormones, causing adrenal and sex organ fatigue.

All of this over-activity and stress causes the pituitary gland and testicles (ovaries in women) to become disabled for a few days or even months, leading to a long refraction time or a long-term sexual exhaustion and inflammation. Muscles and joints become very tight and rigid upon ejaculation. An extremely exhausted adrenal function can cause an extreme low level of DHEA and cortisol, resulting in fatigue and pains throughout the body, including the back.

Additional evidence of a lingering post-orgasm hangover comes from sexually exhausted male rats. The number of androgen receptors decreases in the hypothalamus, curtailing the effects of testosterone and altering behavior. Changes linger for up to seven days, corresponding with the rats' lack of libido.

Epinephrine and Norepinephrine:

Since dopamine is the precursor to the stress hormone epinephrine (adrenaline), excess release of dopamine results in the adrenal glands overproducing epinephrine and putting the body in a prolonged state of fight-or-flight stress.

At the same time, norepinephrine is synthesized from dopamine and released from the adrenal medulla into the blood as a hormone, along with the stress hormone cortisol. Epinephrine, norepinephrine and cortisol fuel the fight-or-flight response, directly increasing heart rate, triggering the release of glucose from energy stores, and increasing blood flow to skeletal muscle. All of this has a severely taxing effect on the body.

Prostaglandin E-2:

The hormone prostaglandin E-2, which serves an important function in sexual arousal, is also overproduced and has an inflammatory effect on the body, damaging tissues, nerves and joints, weakening immunity, causing muscular and nervous pain, and promoting infection, inflammation, and even cancer. Chronic elevation of epinephrine and prostaglandin E2 results in severe damage to brain cells and parasympathetic nerves in the liver, lungs, adrenal glands, heart, blood vessels, digestive system, pancreas, gallbladder, ovaries, uterus, cervix, testicles and prostate. As a result, you can experience a variety of symptoms, including depression, anxiety, bodily pains, vision problems, persistent sexual arousal and sexual dysfunction such as impotence and premature ejaculation in men and a lack of sexual stimulation in women.

Conclusion:

Myth. The only correlative evidence I could find supporting the idea that masturbation and orgasm could relieve depression and/or improve self-esteem was highly anecdotal. In fact, the most reliable evidence to date suggests exactly the opposite; that especially frequent masturbation and orgasm are actually contributing factors to these and other issues.

Primary sources:

http://www.reuniting.info/science/sex_and_addiction

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prolactin

http://www.bumc.bu.edu/sexualmedicine/physicianinformation/biology-of-female-sexual-function/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masturbation

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dopamine

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_functions_of_nitric_oxide

http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro02/web2/tromero.html

http://www.herballove.com/article.asp?art=615

http://www.science20.com/rogue_neuron/science_pleasure_part_ii_your_brain_sexual_imagery

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Testosterone#Female_sexual_arousal

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going to play the devils advocate here, to a point at least, isn't not masturbating (for males at least) rather unhealthy, I know it significantly increases the risk of prostate cancer if you don't 'clean the tubes' about once every week or so. I don't really enjoy it but I consider it another form of personal maintenance, like brushing ones hair.

(Re-posted from the Total Sexual Abstinence forum)

Prostate Cancer

Both popular and professional opinions of masturbation have changed drastically in the past century. The days when it was said to cause blindness, hairy hands and stunted growth along with a slew of other maladies are long past. More recently however there has been evidence of another trend of a very different kind; people all over the world are touting masturbation for health benefits. This thread is meant to examine these claims in an objective manner in order that we might better understand the science behind these claims.

I think that one of the most common health benefit claims for men is that masturbation can help prevent prostate cancer.

This all started in July 2003 with a study conducted in Melbourne Australia. This study compared 1079 men having prostate cancer, with 1259 healthy men of the same age. These men, ranging in age from 20 to 50, filled out questionnaires about their sexual habits. The study concluded that the more men ejaculated, the less chance they would develop prostate cancer. The results of this study contradicted those of previous studies, which have suggested that having had many sexual partners, or a high frequency of sexual activity, increases the risk of prostate cancer by up to 40%. The key difference is that these earlier studies defined sexual activity as sexual intercourse, whereas the latest study focused on the number of ejaculations, whether or not intercourse was involved.

The very next year, in June 2004 the largest study on the subject to date was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. This US study followed nearly 30,000 men healthy men over the course eight years, around 1500 of which developed prostate cancer. The results backed up the first study, showing that those men who ejaculated most frequently were significantly less likely to develop prostate cancer. At the start of the study, the men filled in a history of their ejaculation frequency and then filled in further questionnaires every two years.

Some common theories held by the scientific community as to why this correlation might be true:

# Flushing out cancer-causing substances. Frequent ejaculation may help flush out retained chemical carcinogens in the prostate glands.

# Reducing tension. The release of psychological tension that accompanies ejaculation may lower nervous activity associated with stress and slow the growth of potentially cancerous cells in the prostate.

# Promoting rapid turnover of fluids. Frequent ejaculation may help prevent the development of mini-crystals that can block ducts within the prostate gland, reducing cancer risk

In January 2009 England's University of Nottingham looked at whether men with more intense sex drives were at higher risk of prostate cancer. Results were obtained by gathering detailed sexual histories from 840 men. About half the men had prostate cancer by age 60, and about half did not have cancer. The findings were surprising. Sexual intercourse did not affect prostate cancer risk. But frequent masturbation did -- in different ways, at different times of life. Frequent masturbation during men's 20s and 30s showed increased risk of prostate cancer, men in their 50s who masturbated frequently showed decreased risk.

Conclusions:

The jury is still out on whether or not masturbation affects the development of prostate cancer. The only thing we can know for certain from these studies is that far more research will be needed before theory becomes fact. One thing that I noticed in reviewing these studies is that because they focused on sexual habits they may have neglected other possibly influencing factors such as: sedentary lifestyle, diet and substance abuse.

Primary Sources:

http://pornstudies.net/news/Masturbation-Prostate-Cancer.htm

http://www.hidden-cancer-cures.com/Articles2/Prostate-Cancer-Masturbation.htm

http://www.webmd.com/prostate-cancer/news/20090127/masturbation-and-prostate-cancer-risk

Psychological aspect

A popular opinion held by certain mental health circles is that masturbation can relieve depression and lead to a higher sense of self-esteem. There are many biological factors that come into effect when it comes to arousal and orgasm in the brain. Neurotransmitters, and neuro-peptides for example, are heavily involved in the sexual response. Hormone levels are also highly involved in sexual arousal. Lets first take a look at how these what role these chemicals play in sexual activity in general and from there we will break it down to see their overall effects to see just how valid these claims really are.

Pre-orgasm:

The adrenal glands and sex organs produce androgen hormones, which stimulate sexual function in men and may modulate the physiology of vaginal tissue and contribute to female genital sexual arousal. In males, testosterone levels remain generally above the threshold required for sexual interest and activity. Thus increases in testosterone above this threshold are believed to have additional influences on sexual interest or behavior. Interestingly, estrogen (the "female hormone") seems to have little impact on sexual desire on either males or females.

The hypothalamus releases the neurohormone dopamine, which results in sexual arousal. When the body becomes sexually aroused the brain releases the neurotransmitter acetylcholine into the bloodstream in the sex organs. The acetylcholine causes the endothelium in the blood vessels of the genitals to produce an enzyme called nitric oxide synthase that helps to produce the gas nitric oxide. Nitric oxide (NO) plays a critical role in both male and female sexuality. NO stimulates the release and conversion of several other enzymes which produce relaxation of smooth muscles and increased blood flow into the genitals producing an erection in males, and in females stimulating vaginal lubrication and engorgement of clitoris.

Serotonin's role in sexual function is that of constriction of smooth muscles in the genitals, and peripheral nerve function. Epinephrine appears to be involved in maintaining the penis in a flaccid state. This increases the rate and force of the muscle's contractions during sexual activity. Conversely, in women, epinephrine has been shown to increase vaginal pulse amplitude. Norepinephrine is another neurotransmitter that mediates chemical communication the nervous system. Levels of norepinephrine in the brain increase significantly with arousal and sexual activity in men as well as in women.

As sexual activity intensifies, the neurotransmitter GABA is released, increasing dopamine levels and ultimately igniting a euphoric feeling and increasing sensations during orgasm. Endorphins, the same “feel good” chemicals that are produced during exercise are also thought to be released in large quantities during orgasm.

Post-orgasm:

At the end of sexual activity, nitric oxide production decreases, causing the penis to return to its flaccid state and female sex organs to return to normal. The anti-inflammatory hormone prostaglandin E-1 is released to relax tissue and muscle fiber and calm the body after sex. The pituitary gland releases the hormone and neurotransmitter oxytocin to induce a sense of sexual satisfaction after sex or orgasm. The pituitary gland also releases the hormone prolactin to repress the effect of dopamine, thus reducing sexual arousal by decreasing the levels of testosterone. The brain also releases the neurotransmitter serotonin to modulate sexual desire.

Dopamine:

Dopamine is the number-one neurohormone involved in sexual activity.

At ideal levels, dopamine equates with feelings of well-being and healthy decision-making. At high levels however, dopamine is the "I’ve got to have it, whatever the repercussions" neurochemical that lights up the brain's reward center. It renders us single-minded and demanding. Biology employs this powerful means to motivate behaviors vital to survival and passing on genes, such as eating, drinking, taking risks, and, above all, engaging in fertilization behavior. Predictably, high levels of dopamine are associated with addictions, gambling, fetishes, anxiety, and so on.

When dopamine drops after orgasm, it falls below ideal levels, and can change our whole outlook on life. Low dopamine is associated with depression, feeling unable to love, and, again, addictions, as sufferers desperately seek to feel better.

Prolactin:

Prolactin performs many functions, and it also appears to play a prominent role in regulating sex. As dopamine drops after orgasm, prolactin immediately rises in both men and women, acting as a sexual satiation mechanism. Prolactin may influence our mating behavior beyond serving as sexual brakes. Like dopamine, it affects our moods and behavior. Prolactin appears to be a stress hormone, associated with feelings of despair. High prolactin could be contributing to the long-term discouragement that seems to overtake so many intimate relationships.

Oxytocin:

After our brain releases dopamine, we feel attracted to the object of our attention. We are compelled to draw closer to it, to experience it more fully.

Oxytocin is a neurotransmitter that is associated with attachment. When we interface with a person or object, and our brain releases oxytocin, we naturally form an attachment to it. Oxytocin also counteracts the effects of cortisol, the stress hormone.

Incidentally, a surge of blood-level oxytocin often accompanies orgasm, which sometimes causes people to conclude that more orgasms must lead to tighter emotional bonding. Who knows? First, researchers suggest that oxytocin's role during orgasm is solely to bring on the contractions that move semen to various strategic locations, just as oxytocin causes smooth muscle to go into birth and nursing contractions. It is not clear that oxytocin levels surge at orgasm in the limbic system - where bonding occurs.

Second, oxytocin is a less reliable marker of orgasm than the "shutdown" neurochemical prolactin, which means that oxytocin does not always rise at orgasm. In any case, when dopamine drops too low (after a passion bout), so does oxytocin - and lovers lose their desire for closeness. By contrast, when dopamine stays at ideal levels, it helps maintain oxytocin levels as well.

Whether orgasm results in increased oxytocin in the limbic system or not, there are a great number of other, nonsexual behaviors that definitely are associated with increased production. Caring touch, especially stroking, is one method. Another is selfless giving - or nurturing another - as a parent would a child. Close, trusted companionship also seems to promote the production of oxytocin. Neurochemicals and behavior tend to be circular. That is, a change in behavior induces changes in neurochemistry, and vice versa. The more we produce, the more receptive we are to it. Oxytocin receptors do not down-regulate as dopamine receptors do. This means we do not need an ever-increasing level to get the same feeling.

Androgens:

Excessive sexual activity and over-ejaculation lead to overproduction of androgen hormones, causing adrenal and sex organ fatigue.

All of this over-activity and stress causes the pituitary gland and testicles (ovaries in women) to become disabled for a few days or even months, leading to a long refraction time or a long-term sexual exhaustion and inflammation. Muscles and joints become very tight and rigid upon ejaculation. An extremely exhausted adrenal function can cause an extreme low level of DHEA and cortisol, resulting in fatigue and pains throughout the body, including the back.

Additional evidence of a lingering post-orgasm hangover comes from sexually exhausted male rats. The number of androgen receptors decreases in the hypothalamus, curtailing the effects of testosterone and altering behavior. Changes linger for up to seven days, corresponding with the rats' lack of libido.

Epinephrine and Norepinephrine:

Since dopamine is the precursor to the stress hormone epinephrine (adrenaline), excess release of dopamine results in the adrenal glands overproducing epinephrine and putting the body in a prolonged state of fight-or-flight stress.

At the same time, norepinephrine is synthesized from dopamine and released from the adrenal medulla into the blood as a hormone, along with the stress hormone cortisol. Epinephrine, norepinephrine and cortisol fuel the fight-or-flight response, directly increasing heart rate, triggering the release of glucose from energy stores, and increasing blood flow to skeletal muscle. All of this has a severely taxing effect on the body.

Prostaglandin E-2:

The hormone prostaglandin E-2, which serves an important function in sexual arousal, is also overproduced and has an inflammatory effect on the body, damaging tissues, nerves and joints, weakening immunity, causing muscular and nervous pain, and promoting infection, inflammation, and even cancer. Chronic elevation of epinephrine and prostaglandin E2 results in severe damage to brain cells and parasympathetic nerves in the liver, lungs, adrenal glands, heart, blood vessels, digestive system, pancreas, gallbladder, ovaries, uterus, cervix, testicles and prostate. As a result, you can experience a variety of symptoms, including depression, anxiety, bodily pains, vision problems, persistent sexual arousal and sexual dysfunction such as impotence and premature ejaculation in men and a lack of sexual stimulation in women.

Conclusion:

Myth. The only correlative evidence I could find supporting the idea that masturbation and orgasm could relieve depression and/or improve self-esteem was highly anecdotal. In fact, the most reliable evidence to date suggests exactly the opposite; that especially frequent masturbation and orgasm are actually contributing factors to these and other issues.

Primary sources:

http://www.reuniting.info/science/sex_and_addiction

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prolactin

http://www.bumc.bu.edu/sexualmedicine/physicianinformation/biology-of-female-sexual-function/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masturbation

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dopamine

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_functions_of_nitric_oxide

http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro02/web2/tromero.html

http://www.herballove.com/article.asp?art=615

http://www.science20.com/rogue_neuron/science_pleasure_part_ii_your_brain_sexual_imagery

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Testosterone#Female_sexual_arousal

I think there is not enough genuine evidence to conclude that masturbation is beneficial in preventing prostate cancer.

I agree that they have not taken other factors into consideration. looking at this information is see a couple of factors... the people ejaculating regularly obviously had more libido, that would indicate to me that they are more likely to be in a healthier condition than those who had decreased libido, hence this may indicate that there was some health problems to begin with prior to testing.

"But frequent masturbation did -- in different ways, at different times of life. Frequent masturbation during men's 20s and 30s showed increased risk of prostate cancer, men in their 50s who masturbated frequently showed decreased risk"

This statement seems contradictory, how can a once unhealthy activity suddenly become healthy, and a what point does it change? This contradiction is clear evidence that there is no evidence to prove that masturbation or ejaculation prevents prostate cancer.

I believe the body can look after itself in this regard through "wet dreams" and nocturnal emissions. There is no need to stimulate yourself or masturbate for health reasons.

My opinion is I don't believe sexual activity or the lack of it in anyway affects the formation prostate cancer.

Paulie

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hmm to summarise what i've read so far on the topic:

- if you 'clean your tubes' excessively as a youth or young adult, a substantial decrease in such activity could lead to an increased risk of prostate cancer in your later years.

if you were never really a fan of 'tube-cleaning' in the first place, abstinence isn't going to affect your risk in any demonstrable way.

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hmm to summarise what i've read so far on the topic:

- if you 'clean your tubes' excessively as a youth or young adult, a substantial decrease in such activity could lead to an increased risk of prostate cancer in your later years.

if you were never really a fan of 'tube-cleaning' in the first place, abstinence isn't going to affect your risk in any demonstrable way.

How did you come to that conclusion? if you don't mind me asking.

and @ paulie, your logic regarding the 'contradiction' negating any possible evidence about masturbation being healthy is... flawed, the contradiction doesn't necessarily exist in that there are plenty of reasons why something unhealthy at one stage of life may be healthy in another, though I'm not going to list them.

Tbh it doesn't really matter anyway in the scheme of things. I respect what you're doing and, to a point, I understand why your doing it (or not doing it, I guess), even if it's not something I'd ever personally see as necessarily.

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hmm to summarise what i've read so far on the topic:

- if you 'clean your tubes' excessively as a youth or young adult, a substantial decrease in such activity could lead to an increased risk of prostate cancer in your later years.

if you were never really a fan of 'tube-cleaning' in the first place, abstinence isn't going to affect your risk in any demonstrable way.

How did you come to that conclusion? if you don't mind me asking.

TBH I wouldn’t stand by their accuracy, but those two statements are the gist of what I’ve gathered from looking up the matter. I was skeptical of the claims you get in a welter of magazines and web articles promoting masturbation as a healthy activity men should make a point to engage in constantly. Whether intentionally or not, they sanction or encourage people to partake in the activity at a frequency which cannot be medically advisable. There is a great deal of conflicting information online, but there is no question that overdoing it can be exceedingly harmful to general well-being. (Edit: Just to clarify, though.. afaik what you said about 'once a week' is definitely not excessive. I'm just not sure how beneficial it really is)

Here's a link to a British Journal of urology study which posited a link between high rates of masturbation in early adulthood to prostate cancer in later years:

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1464-410X.2008.08030.x/abstract

I think it makes logical sense (although the research isn’t conclusive). It can't be a good idea to overwork / overdevelop your glands in your youth and then leave them dormant when you get older. So you shouldn’t overwork your system, ever.

As to life-long abstinence / low rates of sexual activity.. so far I haven't been able to find any literature suggesting it could lead to any particular medical issue.

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mumumountain

My first post here, greetings! I have a question for you all.

I am a 23yo male. I privately identify myself as asexual due to my lack of interest or attraction to either gender. I have hinted this to my parents to see what their reaction would be, and they are of the common opinion that such a thing is not possible and that I will develop these things eventually. The same thing goes for most friends I have talked about this with (with one exception whom I believe may be asexual himself!). For a long time I thought I was merely in denial or suppressing my sexuality. Thus I have had relationships and sex both males and females in attempts to determine my sexual orientation. Although I have been able to perform sexually, I have been unable to become aroused or even romantically attracted toward anyone.

I’m sure this all sounds very familiar to many of you. It doesn't bother me anymore to be asexual, and I have come to terms with it you might say. There are plenty of other things in life to occupy myself with and I’m really not worried that I may never find a sexual partner. With that said, on to my real question:

Although I am not attracted to people (or things for that matter) I still am possessed with a normal, healthy libido. In my circumstance the only form of sexual release for me is masturbation; yet I derive little pleasure from this act besides the usual “feels good to play with your junk”. I would like to stop masturbating entirely and I have managed for around a month at most before I finally caved in.

I have a few reasons for wishing to stop masturbation. My primary reason is that I find it inconsistent with my practice of yogic philosophy. (I’m not sure if I want to go into detail about that right now, but if you wish to know more, you are free to ask).

Other reasons include the simple matter that it feels rather pointless for me. It seems like a bother, something I just do because of the sexual tension that builds up from not masturbating. To a lesser extent it's annoying to feel like I have to take a shower and change clothes just to rid myself of the smell and that nasty feel of precum (aftercum?). Finally the lack of energy and “depressed” state of mind that is often experience after the act itself is undesirable to me.

Is there anyone here who has successfully managed to go without voluntary sexual release for a long period of time? Can you offer me any advice for consciously suppressing libido? Any tips that you have found to relieve the sexual tension associated with abstinence? I do perform yoga, meditation, japa, self-analysis and introspection on a daily basis, and these things have helped me immensely in more ways than just my attempted abstinence. Any help or opinions are certainly welcome and appreciated!

Zer0karma, this is a great discussion. Though I'm not naturally asexual in orientation, I have recently chosen to practice celibacy based largely on spiritual grounds. I am a practicing Catholic and have begun to feel a call towards the Franciscan lifestyle, in particular, a lay branch known as the Secular Franciscans. I have also begun to practice yoga more seriously recently. Choosing abstinence has, in the two or three months since I consciously began to practice it, liberated me in a way I never expected. Even before I was aware of my choice, I noticed a definite change within me once I stopped fantasizing about relationships and feeling the urge to date and have sex. I do not think it was coincidental that my adoption of celibacy also merged with a sudden spiritual rejuvenation.

However, like you, I find the habit of masturbating difficult to control. Though the frequency of masturbation has diminished, it is still present. After almost each release, I feel disappointed in myself and cannot help but feel that I have wasted time and energy that could have been expended towards spiritual endeavors (in my case, prayer, contemplative reading of the gospel, meditation, etc.). It is worsened by the fact that I often watch porn when I masturbate.

I'm glad you have brought this up because I think dialogue about the relationship of religion/spirituality and asexuality, how being asexual affects one's spiritual life (if one has a disposition towards that realm). I empathize with you on the struggle. If you'd like, I also began a discussion on the subject of spirituality in the Asexuality Q&A section - "Asexuality and spirituality" - which you are obviously welcome to read and expand upon.

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  • 10 months later...
GoodThought

Though many people say on the internet that stopping masturbation is quite impossible, there were for me no problems to quit immediately. I have a burning hate against all things associated with sex, so I was immensely motivated to stop anything associated with sex. I have observed that anyone who starts masturbation is also addicted to it, but I would not have been addicted if I knew what I did when I was younger. I had acquired my addiction from the time that I could not yet ejaculate, and I used to put pressure on my genitals. For short: I got into it without knowing what I was doing. Anyhow, I needed immense amounts of time for other things; anything which was not useful to me was a waste of time. I figured out already that it would be very hard to stop the addiction of masturbation, so I knew that I needed a solid plan. I wrote approximately 100 pages for myself how I was going to accomplish my plan. I focused on executing my plan very systematically and strictly. I set up many rules, and I tried to find correlations between "danger areas" or "areas which would be tempting". I planned to make a list of when all the incidents would occur, but it was actually not needed when I started executing the plan. One of my main rules was that I needed to be focused all the time: if I lost any focus, I would have returned to my old mistake because of habit. I was vigilant the whole day, and though this consumed a lot of energy, it also helped me in my work. Further I knew that the addiction would not have been gone in a few days. I set a rule for myself that my hands were not allowed to be near my genitals, so that I would not mistakenly touch my genitals. The thought of masturbation angered me considerably, so my anger motivated me to stop masturbation and to maintain my focus. I was enormously irritated with the uselessness of masturbation, and I repeated thousands of times to myself that for this reason I should stop. I enjoy to see girls (while I am a male), but I am not attracted to any girls: I am just asexual, though my family would never accept this. My family has been useless in my development, and they have not rendered me the least aid; they just said "sex is ancient, so it's normal". I guess that asexual behaviour is also normal since it occurs in animals as well, but let us focus on the matter of stopping masturbation again. I have explained that I set rules, but I have not explained that these rules basically covered the control of my behaviour during the whole day. In those 100 pages I had thought of every thing that I would do during the day. I thought that any changes from the normal "rhythm" could potentially be dangerous for stopping masturbation, so I just made sure not to do anything stupid, like staying in a place which my subconscious mind associated with masturbation (for me this was the bathroom; I set a timer that I had only five minutes to rush in and out so that I would have no time to develop wrong thoughts). My techniques mainly consisted of mental control. I theorised that the problem mainly occurs in the brain, so I thought that I should tackle the problem there. As soon as I stopped masturbation for three months, I had a few wet dreams. I predicted that these wet dreams posed a threat to my abstinence, so I started thinking deeper about how to solve the problem. While I was writing again in my notebook about this problem, and while I was explaining the problem to myself, I came up suddenly with the idea that perhaps I should use techniques of relieving stress and anxiety to stop these wet dreams. I remembered that a kinsman of mine always woke up in the night because of nightmares, and this kinsman was very scared before going to sleep. I started comparing this situation to my own situation; I thought that the problem was not so different after all. I helped this kinsman by giving him exercises to relieve his stress and anxiety, like breathing. It helped him to get rid of his fears. It should be compared to stage fright. My knowledge of acting helped me also, so I would think of being an other person to turn my life around; I created an own new character which would be different, so that it was easier to leave the old habits behind. I started doing the same exercises which helped against anxiety, and I noticed that each time, when I had this urge to masturbate after a wet dream, I would become relaxed and forget about the problem. I was still working on how I should relax myself enough to have no wet dreams; I planned to do exercises throughout the whole day to make myself more relaxed, and I did these exercises at strict times. Eventually my subconscious mind became less anxious (because anxiety was for me the same as sexual desire), and I had no wet dreams anymore; this was 6 months after that I had stopped masturbating. The other months went a lot easier, and now it is quite long ago that I applied these methods. I noticed that I have become very happy with my life and myself; I have observed this, and these are my experiences. If any one disagrees about the benefit of stopping masturbation and wet dreams, I do not care; it is your life, and if you want to be held prisoner in some kind of addiction, it is your business. I wanted certainly to have control over my own mind, and I was annoyed with being controlled by some other power which was completely useless to me. If you have more questions, leave a comment below! Also, if you ever want to chat about abstinence or a related topic, you are welcome to chat with me; it develops my ideas as well. My life is stable now, but if I can help anyone else, it would be my pleasure.

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Please don't revive threads that have been long dead. If you're interested in the topic, you're free to create a new thread.

Locked for necromancy.

Lia

Asexual Q&A Mod

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